Author
Topic: Old Friends. [acceptance] (Read 997 times)

It had been too long and time has not been kind to Dahx. After the night of King Shai and Lady Coalts departure, he had returned to Mayan and retold the story of her father’s goodbye, leaving out the part of how he had begged to go with the pair. The wound was deep; it was still festering and aching. Dahx spent days trying to regain his footing and carry on, to continue being the bulwark for the pride but after a while, he just could not do it anymore.

Dahx ran away two months later, the night he had left the dry season was soon to be over and the night air was cool and crisp with the promise of an early morning shower. Aegaji was asleep in the cave, her black pelt glowing blue under the moonbeams leaking through the caves walls. The sight was beautiful and it should have pulled the bulky saber into the warmth of their nest as it usually did after a long night patrol. Tonight however, the pain and the weight of the months was too heavy and Dahx only glanced at Aegaji as he walked past their cave. Afraid that a longer look would make him stay.

Dahx walked until it was dawn, the rain was mist before his eyes and then there was the broader. It was THE boarder. The same spot where Shai and he had talked last those two months prior. It was shocking how easy it was for him to cross that line; it was even scarier how little it took for Dahx to just continue walking away. He often wondered if Shai felt the same ease he had. After that Dahx wandered from place to place, fighting, hunting, loving, and fighting, he wanted to forget and walking away that night had helped, everything else that happened after was a good distraction.

However, every now and then on the occasional night Dahx would think of Stoneclaw and the greatness it had achieved and how great it could be now with Mayan as the queen. Dahx even liked to imagine that his friends missed him and that Aegaji still loved him as deeply as he still loved her. Too quickly though did these thoughts turn into sad realizations that he had abandoned them for selfish reasons and more than likely was hated by those he had loved. It was these thoughts and hopes and other darker things that slowly lead him back to familiar territory.

That was nearly four years ago and now here Dahx stood, at the edge of the mountain path leading down into the Stoneclaw valley. His coat was rough and knotted as he stood overlooking the red rock and golden fields of Stoneclaw. Once he remember himself being a bulky tyrant with a girth bigger than a mammoth, but the years had not been kind and Dahx now looked much more strained. His new scars shined in the hot sun and his old bones whined as he slowly walked down the mountain. Upon his face, was greying fur lining his muzzle as well as a few white strands on his great chest.

He did not know what to expect to get, a traitor’s welcome was most likely, by young blood who would not know who he was until he was named by an older member. It was a strange thought, him not being known by the pride members. Dahx was now in the valley and had crossed the border by a good several dozen feet before he let out a loud reverberating roar to signal a nearby patrol.

Dahx sat down and took a death breath in, if a young and hotheaded cub wanted to investigate him he better be ready, “Hopefully someone has been training the guard right.”

He was tired. Stuck somewhere between the good exhaustion that comes with running a pride and the stress filled, sleepless nights worrying about the steadily declining state of his mate.

On the one hand, the pride was becoming stronger again. New members were arriving and the first Rites lay only days away. The Serfs had gathered their trade items in preparation for the journey and soon they would depart for their new allies; the pirates of Tortuga. They would return ranked members of the pride and Stoneclaw would grow stronger still. This renewed hope filled Nexys with pride, giving him the strength he needed to patrol the borders. It was necessary right now for him to patrol. They were very short still, even though they were getting stronger. Sometimes he had to laugh at the irony of it all and wonder how many pack leaders out there patrolled their own borders.

However, the trouble with Lola made him fearful and restless. She had not done well with this pregnancy. Not at all. She was placed under bed rest very early on and things hadn't gotten better for her. It was late in her term and he was sure she would give birth any day. Nexys had no gods, no deities he had ever prayed to, but lately he found himself praying to anything he could think of to spare Lola's life. Most of the day she slept, weak and struggling for breath. But when she was awake, she would just lay there and smile and talk about the cubs. She had their names all picked out and tho there was no way of knowing how many she would have, or what their genders would be, Nexys never told her she might be wrong. He just lay with her and comforted her as much as he could. Something in the way she talked made him think she knew she would not survive the labor but Nexys didn't want to fully admit it to himself.

So he walked in a haze, thinking of his mate, when he saw something move in the distance. Another acceptance? Nexys picked up his pace to meet the stranger. As he neared, he thought he saw....no....there was no way it was....

A breeze blew across the savanna and Nexys caught the old familiar smell of a friend. His heart almost leapt from his chest as he sped up into a full sprint toward the brown figure, nearing every step. With no apology or slowing, he rubbed his body against his friend's in a true saber welcome. He didn't know why Dahx had gone, or to where, but in his mind, there must have been a good reason. There was so much to tell him, so much had changed in all this time... but where to start? He smiled and sat, shaking his head at his friend. "Dahx...I can't believe you came back after all this time. And you wouldn't believe all of the changes that have happened in that time....I guess I should start with my own introduction..." Nexys stood once more and gave a deep bow. "Nexys, Lord of Obsidian Clan and King of Stoneclaw." Nexys had never been a mischievous saber, but at this he couldn't help himself. His emerald eyes narrowed slyly as he watched for his friend's reaction.

Surprisingly Dahx did not have to wait too long for someone to notice him; it was a good sign, the pride was keeping up on its territory. The distant figure of a bounding of a saber was just barely visible against the skyline and Dahx was more than happy to let the feline waste its energy running toward him. If this interaction turned sour, it would not hurt if the younger party were already out of steam. Dahx, ashamed to admit, was not the young ruff and gruff cat he had been when he left, sure he could still knock a few cubs around if it came to it but it took more out of him than he would ever be willing to confess. He also knew that he no longer had the stamina to out last a long fight, a short and heavy brawl was his greatest attack and defense.

Just as the figure was coming into focus Dahx stood on his toes and tried to appear larger than what he was but as the winds of the savanna gusted the other sabers sent across his path Dahx deflated, his knees suddenly weak,[/b] “Nexys…”[/b]. Nexys would be the one to greet him he could also be the same one to run him out of Stoneclaw if he wished. Guilt choked him; it would serve him right if Nexys did not want his return.

That is not what happened however. Nexys was close and lunged toward him with a loving stroke of his body along Dahxs’ side. The contact was so sudden and confusing Dahx for a split second thought Nexys was going to attack but as the other saber repeated the motion, Dahx returned the gesture enthusiastically. However, just as Dahx was about to start purring Nexys pulled away with his familiar wide smile and plopped down, Dahx mirrored him and could hardly contain his excitement. He had so many questions and wanted to know all of what had been happening. Dahx was about to start questioning his good friends ear off but Nexys beat him too it.

"Dahx...I can't believe you came back after all this time. And you wouldn't believe all of the changes that have happened in that time....I guess I should start with my own introduction...""Nexys, Lord of Obsidian Clan and King of Stoneclaw."

The words rung in his ears and Dahx felt something stiffen in him, how was he supposed to react to that? Dahxs green eyes narrowed and a brow rose with confusion. Lord? Obsidian Clan? King? Did this mean Nexys was now Mayans mate? What of Shai, had there still been no word from their former king and friend? Stoneclaw was a very different place it would seem. Dahx did not notice how long of a pause he took before he responded, he wanted things to be the same between them so he had to go about this very carefully.

Sighing Dahx smiled brightly, he was still relived to see his friend even if his words confused him, “Nexys, it is good to see you too after so many years. Im-“ Guiltily Dahx bowed his head, ” I’m sorry for, my absents. But it seems you have profited from it.”[/b] Taking a stand Dahx tucked a paw under and gave Nexys a low bow but couldn’t hide a mocking smirk tugged at his maws. “So I take it you and Lady Mayan are together now? You being king, congratulations my friend, im sure you are a fine ruler.”

Dahx could not help laughing a bit, his spirits were lifter higher than they had been for years and soon he would find out what had been happening while he has been away. “So tell me friend what has happened since I have been away…Has Aegaji or my cubs bothered you too much? , Dahx eyes glazed and suddenly got a distant look to them as he remembers his mates’ soft touch. I am excited to see her.”

Logged

Let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of kings.RICHARD II-Shakespeare

It felt good to have his old friend's pelt against his again. With everything wrong that was happening in his life, this one moment made things feel right. Nothing could last forever, but Nexys was sure to savor this moment for everything it was worth. The tides were changing at last. He could feel it in his bones.

“Nexys, it is good to see you too after so many years. Im- I’m sorry for, my absence. But it seems you have profited from it.So I take it you and Lady Mayan are together now? You being king, congratulations my friend, im sure you are a fine ruler.”

Nexys chuckled at the joke. It was true, in a way. If Dahx hadn't have followed Shai, things might be different now. Dahx might be King. Or, Nexys might be ruling along with his friend instead of his sister and Afua of Aryion. His eyes grew wide when Dahx asked if he and Lady Mayan were together. He had known Mayan since she was a cub and had never seen her as anything more than an adopted niece.

"Lady Mayan? No, not at all. Lady Mayan and Lady Requiem ruled for some time together, then Aryion merged with us. My mate is actually Lola. She is pregnant with our first litter, but....I don't know. She isn't doing well. We have a lot to do here and not enough paws to do it with. I'm glad to see you back. I need a friend in these times."

Nexys was truly glad to see his friend, even with so many things going wrong. However, the next set of questions was not something Nexys was ready to answer.

“So tell me friend what has happened since I have been away…Has Aegaji or my cubs bothered you too much? I am excited to see her.”

"The merge... Nexys sighed. Those worries of his came rushing back. We lost a lot of sabers. And lions. I wasn't brought in for the merge so I don't really know the specifics of it. But I don't guess it went over well. One of theirs, Afua, rules with me now. Jade Clan is the one he heads up. My sister, Ranya, returned and heads up Pyrope Clan as our only Queen." Nexys shifted uncomfortably. He had no idea how to tell Dahx that Aegaji was gone...but there was no other way than to just out with it. "I'm sorry Dahx but...Aegaji and the cubs...they set out a long time ago. They didn't bother to say where they went. I wasn't in charge back then. If you want, we can try to track her down." Nexys offered. He wasn't sure it was possible, but he would try if Dahx wanted him to. He had wondered before if she had gone back to Diego, but they had also been gone for a long time as well. They would just have to see what happened.